❓ Mr. Barnett questions the Education Minister about the discrepancy between a previously announced $120 million IT funding commitment and the current budget allocation. Mr. Carpenter defends the government's position, stating the $120 million is being sourced from existing departmental resources and criticizes unfunded commitments left by the previous government.
AnsweredQoN 503Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
EDUCATION, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FUNDING
I refer the minister to his announcement on 4 June 2001 that $120 million will be committed by this Government to information technology in schools over four years. (1) Why has this budget committed only $30 million to information technology in schools over the next four years? (2) Why has no expenditure been allocated to this project until 2003-04? Mr CARPENTER
I refer the minister to his announcement on 4 June 2001 that $120 million will be committed by this Government to information technology in schools over four years. (1) Why has this budget committed only $30 million to information technology in schools over the next four years? (2) Why has no expenditure been allocated to this project until 2003-04? Mr CARPENTER
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(2) Some detail is required to answer that question and if I am required to find more detail, I will seek it. The Leader of the Opposition refers to $30 million of additional money. That $120 million for the telecommunications rollout and broadbanding - with which the member would be familiar because the process started when he was the Minister for Education - is being financed from within existing resources in the Department of Education. Mr Barnett: There is no $120 million. That is what you said in the election campaign, but it is not there, is it? Mr CARPENTER: The announcement to which the Leader of the Opposition refers that was made in June related to a $120 million telecommunications rollout that the department had entered into by an agreement with Telstra and Optus. That $120 million is part of the “e2c” strategy and is being sourced from existing budgets. I can do this every day if the member likes. I inherited $60 million of unfunded election commitments from the former Minister for Education. The member knows that it is true; he has admitted it before. I inherited a commitment to provide all schoolteachers with laptop computers in this calendar year. Can members imagine truckloads of laptops being delivered all over Western Australia? It was the former Minister for Education’s strategy to dump laptops at the front of the schools and then wish those schools the best of luck. The former minister wanted to allocate $20 million to provide laptops to schools. However, on the best possible economic analysis, it would cost the education system an additional $65 million a year to deal with the technology. That is what the member delivered. The intention was good but the strategy was wrong. When I became minister, I inherited the former Government’s commitment on laptop computers, and I will guarantee that the school tutors will get their laptops at an affordable price. I inherited an unfunded commitment to capital works, and an unfunded commitment to a reduction of class sizes. I am grateful for the challenge the member provided me with to find an extra $60 million for commitments that he made that I was morally bound to implement. On top of that, I was absolutely determined to put into place the agenda on which this Government was elected, and we have implemented that agenda. Our agenda was released before the election and we have funded it under very difficult circumstances for which the Leader of the Opposition gave no assistance. Part of that challenge related to the telecommunications broadbanding - Mr Barnett: You have cut school funding - admit it. You have reduced school funding by increasing the funding below the inflation rate; that is a real decrease. Mr CARPENTER: I invite the Leader of the Opposition to read the budget papers. The Leader of the Opposition and I have a strange relationship. I am the only person who stands up in Parliament and says good things about him, and I do not confine that habit within this Parliament. The member has a lot to offer. Unfortunately, not many people on his side of the House recognise that, but I do. Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I should draw my answer to a close. I look forward to the member’s continuing success as the Leader of the Opposition.
(1) Why has this budget committed only $30 million to information technology in schools over the next four years? (2) Why has no expenditure been allocated to this project until 2003-04? Mr CARPENTER replied: (1)-(2) Some detail is required to answer that question and if I am required to find more detail, I will seek it. The Leader of the Opposition refers to $30 million of additional money. That $120 million for the telecommunications rollout and broadbanding - with which the member would be familiar because the process started when he was the Minister for Education - is being financed from within existing resources in the Department of Education. Mr Barnett: There is no $120 million. That is what you said in the election campaign, but it is not there, is it? Mr CARPENTER: The announcement to which the Leader of the Opposition refers that was made in June related to a $120 million telecommunications rollout that the department had entered into by an agreement with Telstra and Optus. That $120 million is part of the “e2c” strategy and is being sourced from existing budgets. I can do this every day if the member likes. I inherited $60 million of unfunded election commitments from the former Minister for Education. The member knows that it is true; he has admitted it before. I inherited a commitment to provide all schoolteachers with laptop computers in this calendar year. Can members imagine truckloads of laptops being delivered all over Western Australia? It was the former Minister for Education’s strategy to dump laptops at the front of the schools and then wish those schools the best of luck. The former minister wanted to allocate $20 million to provide laptops to schools. However, on the best possible economic analysis, it would cost the education system an additional $65 million a year to deal with the technology. That is what the member delivered. The intention was good but the strategy was wrong. When I became minister, I inherited the former Government’s commitment on laptop computers, and I will guarantee that the school tutors will get their laptops at an affordable price. I inherited an unfunded commitment to capital works, and an unfunded commitment to a reduction of class sizes. I am grateful for the challenge the member provided me with to find an extra $60 million for commitments that he made that I was morally bound to implement. On top of that, I was absolutely determined to put into place the agenda on which this Government was elected, and we have implemented that agenda. Our agenda was released before the election and we have funded it under very difficult circumstances for which the Leader of the Opposition gave no assistance. Part of that challenge related to the telecommunications broadbanding - Mr Barnett: You have cut school funding - admit it. You have reduced school funding by increasing the funding below the inflation rate; that is a real decrease. Mr CARPENTER: I invite the Leader of the Opposition to read the budget papers. The Leader of the Opposition and I have a strange relationship. I am the only person who stands up in Parliament and says good things about him, and I do not confine that habit within this Parliament. The member has a lot to offer. Unfortunately, not many people on his side of the House recognise that, but I do. Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I should draw my answer to a close. I look forward to the member’s continuing success as the Leader of the Opposition.
(2) Why has no expenditure been allocated to this project until 2003-04? Mr CARPENTER replied: (1)-(2) Some detail is required to answer that question and if I am required to find more detail, I will seek it. The Leader of the Opposition refers to $30 million of additional money. That $120 million for the telecommunications rollout and broadbanding - with which the member would be familiar because the process started when he was the Minister for Education - is being financed from within existing resources in the Department of Education. Mr Barnett: There is no $120 million. That is what you said in the election campaign, but it is not there, is it? Mr CARPENTER: The announcement to which the Leader of the Opposition refers that was made in June related to a $120 million telecommunications rollout that the department had entered into by an agreement with Telstra and Optus. That $120 million is part of the “e2c” strategy and is being sourced from existing budgets. I can do this every day if the member likes. I inherited $60 million of unfunded election commitments from the former Minister for Education. The member knows that it is true; he has admitted it before. I inherited a commitment to provide all schoolteachers with laptop computers in this calendar year. Can members imagine truckloads of laptops being delivered all over Western Australia? It was the former Minister for Education’s strategy to dump laptops at the front of the schools and then wish those schools the best of luck. The former minister wanted to allocate $20 million to provide laptops to schools. However, on the best possible economic analysis, it would cost the education system an additional $65 million a year to deal with the technology. That is what the member delivered. The intention was good but the strategy was wrong. When I became minister, I inherited the former Government’s commitment on laptop computers, and I will guarantee that the school tutors will get their laptops at an affordable price. I inherited an unfunded commitment to capital works, and an unfunded commitment to a reduction of class sizes. I am grateful for the challenge the member provided me with to find an extra $60 million for commitments that he made that I was morally bound to implement. On top of that, I was absolutely determined to put into place the agenda on which this Government was elected, and we have implemented that agenda. Our agenda was released before the election and we have funded it under very difficult circumstances for which the Leader of the Opposition gave no assistance. Part of that challenge related to the telecommunications broadbanding - Mr Barnett: You have cut school funding - admit it. You have reduced school funding by increasing the funding below the inflation rate; that is a real decrease. Mr CARPENTER: I invite the Leader of the Opposition to read the budget papers. The Leader of the Opposition and I have a strange relationship. I am the only person who stands up in Parliament and says good things about him, and I do not confine that habit within this Parliament. The member has a lot to offer. Unfortunately, not many people on his side of the House recognise that, but I do. Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I should draw my answer to a close. I look forward to the member’s continuing success as the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr CARPENTER replied: (1)-(2) Some detail is required to answer that question and if I am required to find more detail, I will seek it. The Leader of the Opposition refers to $30 million of additional money. That $120 million for the telecommunications rollout and broadbanding - with which the member would be familiar because the process started when he was the Minister for Education - is being financed from within existing resources in the Department of Education. Mr Barnett: There is no $120 million. That is what you said in the election campaign, but it is not there, is it? Mr CARPENTER: The announcement to which the Leader of the Opposition refers that was made in June related to a $120 million telecommunications rollout that the department had entered into by an agreement with Telstra and Optus. That $120 million is part of the “e2c” strategy and is being sourced from existing budgets. I can do this every day if the member likes. I inherited $60 million of unfunded election commitments from the former Minister for Education. The member knows that it is true; he has admitted it before. I inherited a commitment to provide all schoolteachers with laptop computers in this calendar year. Can members imagine truckloads of laptops being delivered all over Western Australia? It was the former Minister for Education’s strategy to dump laptops at the front of the schools and then wish those schools the best of luck. The former minister wanted to allocate $20 million to provide laptops to schools. However, on the best possible economic analysis, it would cost the education system an additional $65 million a year to deal with the technology. That is what the member delivered. The intention was good but the strategy was wrong. When I became minister, I inherited the former Government’s commitment on laptop computers, and I will guarantee that the school tutors will get their laptops at an affordable price. I inherited an unfunded commitment to capital works, and an unfunded commitment to a reduction of class sizes. I am grateful for the challenge the member provided me with to find an extra $60 million for commitments that he made that I was morally bound to implement. On top of that, I was absolutely determined to put into place the agenda on which this Government was elected, and we have implemented that agenda. Our agenda was released before the election and we have funded it under very difficult circumstances for which the Leader of the Opposition gave no assistance. Part of that challenge related to the telecommunications broadbanding - Mr Barnett: You have cut school funding - admit it. You have reduced school funding by increasing the funding below the inflation rate; that is a real decrease. Mr CARPENTER: I invite the Leader of the Opposition to read the budget papers. The Leader of the Opposition and I have a strange relationship. I am the only person who stands up in Parliament and says good things about him, and I do not confine that habit within this Parliament. The member has a lot to offer. Unfortunately, not many people on his side of the House recognise that, but I do. Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I should draw my answer to a close. I look forward to the member’s continuing success as the Leader of the Opposition.
(1)-(2) Some detail is required to answer that question and if I am required to find more detail, I will seek it. The Leader of the Opposition refers to $30 million of additional money. That $120 million for the telecommunications rollout and broadbanding - with which the member would be familiar because the process started when he was the Minister for Education - is being financed from within existing resources in the Department of Education. Mr Barnett: There is no $120 million. That is what you said in the election campaign, but it is not there, is it? Mr CARPENTER: The announcement to which the Leader of the Opposition refers that was made in June related to a $120 million telecommunications rollout that the department had entered into by an agreement with Telstra and Optus. That $120 million is part of the “e2c” strategy and is being sourced from existing budgets. I can do this every day if the member likes. I inherited $60 million of unfunded election commitments from the former Minister for Education. The member knows that it is true; he has admitted it before. I inherited a commitment to provide all schoolteachers with laptop computers in this calendar year. Can members imagine truckloads of laptops being delivered all over Western Australia? It was the former Minister for Education’s strategy to dump laptops at the front of the schools and then wish those schools the best of luck. The former minister wanted to allocate $20 million to provide laptops to schools. However, on the best possible economic analysis, it would cost the education system an additional $65 million a year to deal with the technology. That is what the member delivered. The intention was good but the strategy was wrong. When I became minister, I inherited the former Government’s commitment on laptop computers, and I will guarantee that the school tutors will get their laptops at an affordable price. I inherited an unfunded commitment to capital works, and an unfunded commitment to a reduction of class sizes. I am grateful for the challenge the member provided me with to find an extra $60 million for commitments that he made that I was morally bound to implement. On top of that, I was absolutely determined to put into place the agenda on which this Government was elected, and we have implemented that agenda. Our agenda was released before the election and we have funded it under very difficult circumstances for which the Leader of the Opposition gave no assistance. Part of that challenge related to the telecommunications broadbanding - Mr Barnett: You have cut school funding - admit it. You have reduced school funding by increasing the funding below the inflation rate; that is a real decrease. Mr CARPENTER: I invite the Leader of the Opposition to read the budget papers. The Leader of the Opposition and I have a strange relationship. I am the only person who stands up in Parliament and says good things about him, and I do not confine that habit within this Parliament. The member has a lot to offer. Unfortunately, not many people on his side of the House recognise that, but I do. Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I should draw my answer to a close. I look forward to the member’s continuing success as the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr Barnett: There is no $120 million. That is what you said in the election campaign, but it is not there, is it? Mr CARPENTER: The announcement to which the Leader of the Opposition refers that was made in June related to a $120 million telecommunications rollout that the department had entered into by an agreement with Telstra and Optus. That $120 million is part of the “e2c” strategy and is being sourced from existing budgets. I can do this every day if the member likes. I inherited $60 million of unfunded election commitments from the former Minister for Education. The member knows that it is true; he has admitted it before. I inherited a commitment to provide all schoolteachers with laptop computers in this calendar year. Can members imagine truckloads of laptops being delivered all over Western Australia? It was the former Minister for Education’s strategy to dump laptops at the front of the schools and then wish those schools the best of luck. The former minister wanted to allocate $20 million to provide laptops to schools. However, on the best possible economic analysis, it would cost the education system an additional $65 million a year to deal with the technology. That is what the member delivered. The intention was good but the strategy was wrong. When I became minister, I inherited the former Government’s commitment on laptop computers, and I will guarantee that the school tutors will get their laptops at an affordable price. I inherited an unfunded commitment to capital works, and an unfunded commitment to a reduction of class sizes. I am grateful for the challenge the member provided me with to find an extra $60 million for commitments that he made that I was morally bound to implement. On top of that, I was absolutely determined to put into place the agenda on which this Government was elected, and we have implemented that agenda. Our agenda was released before the election and we have funded it under very difficult circumstances for which the Leader of the Opposition gave no assistance. Part of that challenge related to the telecommunications broadbanding - Mr Barnett: You have cut school funding - admit it. You have reduced school funding by increasing the funding below the inflation rate; that is a real decrease. Mr CARPENTER: I invite the Leader of the Opposition to read the budget papers. The Leader of the Opposition and I have a strange relationship. I am the only person who stands up in Parliament and says good things about him, and I do not confine that habit within this Parliament. The member has a lot to offer. Unfortunately, not many people on his side of the House recognise that, but I do. Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I should draw my answer to a close. I look forward to the member’s continuing success as the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr CARPENTER: The announcement to which the Leader of the Opposition refers that was made in June related to a $120 million telecommunications rollout that the department had entered into by an agreement with Telstra and Optus. That $120 million is part of the “e2c” strategy and is being sourced from existing budgets. I can do this every day if the member likes. I inherited $60 million of unfunded election commitments from the former Minister for Education. The member knows that it is true; he has admitted it before. I inherited a commitment to provide all schoolteachers with laptop computers in this calendar year. Can members imagine truckloads of laptops being delivered all over Western Australia? It was the former Minister for Education’s strategy to dump laptops at the front of the schools and then wish those schools the best of luck. The former minister wanted to allocate $20 million to provide laptops to schools. However, on the best possible economic analysis, it would cost the education system an additional $65 million a year to deal with the technology. That is what the member delivered. The intention was good but the strategy was wrong. When I became minister, I inherited the former Government’s commitment on laptop computers, and I will guarantee that the school tutors will get their laptops at an affordable price. I inherited an unfunded commitment to capital works, and an unfunded commitment to a reduction of class sizes. I am grateful for the challenge the member provided me with to find an extra $60 million for commitments that he made that I was morally bound to implement. On top of that, I was absolutely determined to put into place the agenda on which this Government was elected, and we have implemented that agenda. Our agenda was released before the election and we have funded it under very difficult circumstances for which the Leader of the Opposition gave no assistance. Part of that challenge related to the telecommunications broadbanding - Mr Barnett: You have cut school funding - admit it. You have reduced school funding by increasing the funding below the inflation rate; that is a real decrease. Mr CARPENTER: I invite the Leader of the Opposition to read the budget papers. The Leader of the Opposition and I have a strange relationship. I am the only person who stands up in Parliament and says good things about him, and I do not confine that habit within this Parliament. The member has a lot to offer. Unfortunately, not many people on his side of the House recognise that, but I do. Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I should draw my answer to a close. I look forward to the member’s continuing success as the Leader of the Opposition.
I can do this every day if the member likes. I inherited $60 million of unfunded election commitments from the former Minister for Education. The member knows that it is true; he has admitted it before. I inherited a commitment to provide all schoolteachers with laptop computers in this calendar year. Can members imagine truckloads of laptops being delivered all over Western Australia? It was the former Minister for Education’s strategy to dump laptops at the front of the schools and then wish those schools the best of luck. The former minister wanted to allocate $20 million to provide laptops to schools. However, on the best possible economic analysis, it would cost the education system an additional $65 million a year to deal with the technology. That is what the member delivered. The intention was good but the strategy was wrong. When I became minister, I inherited the former Government’s commitment on laptop computers, and I will guarantee that the school tutors will get their laptops at an affordable price. I inherited an unfunded commitment to capital works, and an unfunded commitment to a reduction of class sizes. I am grateful for the challenge the member provided me with to find an extra $60 million for commitments that he made that I was morally bound to implement. On top of that, I was absolutely determined to put into place the agenda on which this Government was elected, and we have implemented that agenda. Our agenda was released before the election and we have funded it under very difficult circumstances for which the Leader of the Opposition gave no assistance. Part of that challenge related to the telecommunications broadbanding - Mr Barnett: You have cut school funding - admit it. You have reduced school funding by increasing the funding below the inflation rate; that is a real decrease. Mr CARPENTER: I invite the Leader of the Opposition to read the budget papers. The Leader of the Opposition and I have a strange relationship. I am the only person who stands up in Parliament and says good things about him, and I do not confine that habit within this Parliament. The member has a lot to offer. Unfortunately, not many people on his side of the House recognise that, but I do. Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I should draw my answer to a close. I look forward to the member’s continuing success as the Leader of the Opposition.
I inherited an unfunded commitment to capital works, and an unfunded commitment to a reduction of class sizes. I am grateful for the challenge the member provided me with to find an extra $60 million for commitments that he made that I was morally bound to implement. On top of that, I was absolutely determined to put into place the agenda on which this Government was elected, and we have implemented that agenda. Our agenda was released before the election and we have funded it under very difficult circumstances for which the Leader of the Opposition gave no assistance. Part of that challenge related to the telecommunications broadbanding - Mr Barnett: You have cut school funding - admit it. You have reduced school funding by increasing the funding below the inflation rate; that is a real decrease. Mr CARPENTER: I invite the Leader of the Opposition to read the budget papers. The Leader of the Opposition and I have a strange relationship. I am the only person who stands up in Parliament and says good things about him, and I do not confine that habit within this Parliament. The member has a lot to offer. Unfortunately, not many people on his side of the House recognise that, but I do. Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I should draw my answer to a close. I look forward to the member’s continuing success as the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr Barnett: You have cut school funding - admit it. You have reduced school funding by increasing the funding below the inflation rate; that is a real decrease. Mr CARPENTER: I invite the Leader of the Opposition to read the budget papers. The Leader of the Opposition and I have a strange relationship. I am the only person who stands up in Parliament and says good things about him, and I do not confine that habit within this Parliament. The member has a lot to offer. Unfortunately, not many people on his side of the House recognise that, but I do. Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I should draw my answer to a close. I look forward to the member’s continuing success as the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr CARPENTER: I invite the Leader of the Opposition to read the budget papers. The Leader of the Opposition and I have a strange relationship. I am the only person who stands up in Parliament and says good things about him, and I do not confine that habit within this Parliament. The member has a lot to offer. Unfortunately, not many people on his side of the House recognise that, but I do. Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I should draw my answer to a close. I look forward to the member’s continuing success as the Leader of the Opposition.
Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I should draw my answer to a close. I look forward to the member’s continuing success as the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr CARPENTER: I should draw my answer to a close. I look forward to the member’s continuing success as the Leader of the Opposition.
(1) Why has this budget committed only $30 million to information technology in schools over the next four years? (2) Why has no expenditure been allocated to this project until 2003-04? Mr CARPENTER replied: (1)-(2) Some detail is required to answer that question and if I am required to find more detail, I will seek it. The Leader of the Opposition refers to $30 million of additional money. That $120 million for the telecommunications rollout and broadbanding - with which the member would be familiar because the process started when he was the Minister for Education - is being financed from within existing resources in the Department of Education. Mr Barnett: There is no $120 million. That is what you said in the election campaign, but it is not there, is it? Mr CARPENTER: The announcement to which the Leader of the Opposition refers that was made in June related to a $120 million telecommunications rollout that the department had entered into by an agreement with Telstra and Optus. That $120 million is part of the “e2c” strategy and is being sourced from existing budgets. I can do this every day if the member likes. I inherited $60 million of unfunded election commitments from the former Minister for Education. The member knows that it is true; he has admitted it before. I inherited a commitment to provide all schoolteachers with laptop computers in this calendar year. Can members imagine truckloads of laptops being delivered all over Western Australia? It was the former Minister for Education’s strategy to dump laptops at the front of the schools and then wish those schools the best of luck. The former minister wanted to allocate $20 million to provide laptops to schools. However, on the best possible economic analysis, it would cost the education system an additional $65 million a year to deal with the technology. That is what the member delivered. The intention was good but the strategy was wrong. When I became minister, I inherited the former Government’s commitment on laptop computers, and I will guarantee that the school tutors will get their laptops at an affordable price. I inherited an unfunded commitment to capital works, and an unfunded commitment to a reduction of class sizes. I am grateful for the challenge the member provided me with to find an extra $60 million for commitments that he made that I was morally bound to implement. On top of that, I was absolutely determined to put into place the agenda on which this Government was elected, and we have implemented that agenda. Our agenda was released before the election and we have funded it under very difficult circumstances for which the Leader of the Opposition gave no assistance. Part of that challenge related to the telecommunications broadbanding - Mr Barnett: You have cut school funding - admit it. You have reduced school funding by increasing the funding below the inflation rate; that is a real decrease. Mr CARPENTER: I invite the Leader of the Opposition to read the budget papers. The Leader of the Opposition and I have a strange relationship. I am the only person who stands up in Parliament and says good things about him, and I do not confine that habit within this Parliament. The member has a lot to offer. Unfortunately, not many people on his side of the House recognise that, but I do. Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I should draw my answer to a close. I look forward to the member’s continuing success as the Leader of the Opposition.
(2) Why has no expenditure been allocated to this project until 2003-04? Mr CARPENTER replied: (1)-(2) Some detail is required to answer that question and if I am required to find more detail, I will seek it. The Leader of the Opposition refers to $30 million of additional money. That $120 million for the telecommunications rollout and broadbanding - with which the member would be familiar because the process started when he was the Minister for Education - is being financed from within existing resources in the Department of Education. Mr Barnett: There is no $120 million. That is what you said in the election campaign, but it is not there, is it? Mr CARPENTER: The announcement to which the Leader of the Opposition refers that was made in June related to a $120 million telecommunications rollout that the department had entered into by an agreement with Telstra and Optus. That $120 million is part of the “e2c” strategy and is being sourced from existing budgets. I can do this every day if the member likes. I inherited $60 million of unfunded election commitments from the former Minister for Education. The member knows that it is true; he has admitted it before. I inherited a commitment to provide all schoolteachers with laptop computers in this calendar year. Can members imagine truckloads of laptops being delivered all over Western Australia? It was the former Minister for Education’s strategy to dump laptops at the front of the schools and then wish those schools the best of luck. The former minister wanted to allocate $20 million to provide laptops to schools. However, on the best possible economic analysis, it would cost the education system an additional $65 million a year to deal with the technology. That is what the member delivered. The intention was good but the strategy was wrong. When I became minister, I inherited the former Government’s commitment on laptop computers, and I will guarantee that the school tutors will get their laptops at an affordable price. I inherited an unfunded commitment to capital works, and an unfunded commitment to a reduction of class sizes. I am grateful for the challenge the member provided me with to find an extra $60 million for commitments that he made that I was morally bound to implement. On top of that, I was absolutely determined to put into place the agenda on which this Government was elected, and we have implemented that agenda. Our agenda was released before the election and we have funded it under very difficult circumstances for which the Leader of the Opposition gave no assistance. Part of that challenge related to the telecommunications broadbanding - Mr Barnett: You have cut school funding - admit it. You have reduced school funding by increasing the funding below the inflation rate; that is a real decrease. Mr CARPENTER: I invite the Leader of the Opposition to read the budget papers. The Leader of the Opposition and I have a strange relationship. I am the only person who stands up in Parliament and says good things about him, and I do not confine that habit within this Parliament. The member has a lot to offer. Unfortunately, not many people on his side of the House recognise that, but I do. Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I should draw my answer to a close. I look forward to the member’s continuing success as the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr CARPENTER replied: (1)-(2) Some detail is required to answer that question and if I am required to find more detail, I will seek it. The Leader of the Opposition refers to $30 million of additional money. That $120 million for the telecommunications rollout and broadbanding - with which the member would be familiar because the process started when he was the Minister for Education - is being financed from within existing resources in the Department of Education. Mr Barnett: There is no $120 million. That is what you said in the election campaign, but it is not there, is it? Mr CARPENTER: The announcement to which the Leader of the Opposition refers that was made in June related to a $120 million telecommunications rollout that the department had entered into by an agreement with Telstra and Optus. That $120 million is part of the “e2c” strategy and is being sourced from existing budgets. I can do this every day if the member likes. I inherited $60 million of unfunded election commitments from the former Minister for Education. The member knows that it is true; he has admitted it before. I inherited a commitment to provide all schoolteachers with laptop computers in this calendar year. Can members imagine truckloads of laptops being delivered all over Western Australia? It was the former Minister for Education’s strategy to dump laptops at the front of the schools and then wish those schools the best of luck. The former minister wanted to allocate $20 million to provide laptops to schools. However, on the best possible economic analysis, it would cost the education system an additional $65 million a year to deal with the technology. That is what the member delivered. The intention was good but the strategy was wrong. When I became minister, I inherited the former Government’s commitment on laptop computers, and I will guarantee that the school tutors will get their laptops at an affordable price. I inherited an unfunded commitment to capital works, and an unfunded commitment to a reduction of class sizes. I am grateful for the challenge the member provided me with to find an extra $60 million for commitments that he made that I was morally bound to implement. On top of that, I was absolutely determined to put into place the agenda on which this Government was elected, and we have implemented that agenda. Our agenda was released before the election and we have funded it under very difficult circumstances for which the Leader of the Opposition gave no assistance. Part of that challenge related to the telecommunications broadbanding - Mr Barnett: You have cut school funding - admit it. You have reduced school funding by increasing the funding below the inflation rate; that is a real decrease. Mr CARPENTER: I invite the Leader of the Opposition to read the budget papers. The Leader of the Opposition and I have a strange relationship. I am the only person who stands up in Parliament and says good things about him, and I do not confine that habit within this Parliament. The member has a lot to offer. Unfortunately, not many people on his side of the House recognise that, but I do. Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I should draw my answer to a close. I look forward to the member’s continuing success as the Leader of the Opposition.
(1)-(2) Some detail is required to answer that question and if I am required to find more detail, I will seek it. The Leader of the Opposition refers to $30 million of additional money. That $120 million for the telecommunications rollout and broadbanding - with which the member would be familiar because the process started when he was the Minister for Education - is being financed from within existing resources in the Department of Education. Mr Barnett: There is no $120 million. That is what you said in the election campaign, but it is not there, is it? Mr CARPENTER: The announcement to which the Leader of the Opposition refers that was made in June related to a $120 million telecommunications rollout that the department had entered into by an agreement with Telstra and Optus. That $120 million is part of the “e2c” strategy and is being sourced from existing budgets. I can do this every day if the member likes. I inherited $60 million of unfunded election commitments from the former Minister for Education. The member knows that it is true; he has admitted it before. I inherited a commitment to provide all schoolteachers with laptop computers in this calendar year. Can members imagine truckloads of laptops being delivered all over Western Australia? It was the former Minister for Education’s strategy to dump laptops at the front of the schools and then wish those schools the best of luck. The former minister wanted to allocate $20 million to provide laptops to schools. However, on the best possible economic analysis, it would cost the education system an additional $65 million a year to deal with the technology. That is what the member delivered. The intention was good but the strategy was wrong. When I became minister, I inherited the former Government’s commitment on laptop computers, and I will guarantee that the school tutors will get their laptops at an affordable price. I inherited an unfunded commitment to capital works, and an unfunded commitment to a reduction of class sizes. I am grateful for the challenge the member provided me with to find an extra $60 million for commitments that he made that I was morally bound to implement. On top of that, I was absolutely determined to put into place the agenda on which this Government was elected, and we have implemented that agenda. Our agenda was released before the election and we have funded it under very difficult circumstances for which the Leader of the Opposition gave no assistance. Part of that challenge related to the telecommunications broadbanding - Mr Barnett: You have cut school funding - admit it. You have reduced school funding by increasing the funding below the inflation rate; that is a real decrease. Mr CARPENTER: I invite the Leader of the Opposition to read the budget papers. The Leader of the Opposition and I have a strange relationship. I am the only person who stands up in Parliament and says good things about him, and I do not confine that habit within this Parliament. The member has a lot to offer. Unfortunately, not many people on his side of the House recognise that, but I do. Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I should draw my answer to a close. I look forward to the member’s continuing success as the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr Barnett: There is no $120 million. That is what you said in the election campaign, but it is not there, is it? Mr CARPENTER: The announcement to which the Leader of the Opposition refers that was made in June related to a $120 million telecommunications rollout that the department had entered into by an agreement with Telstra and Optus. That $120 million is part of the “e2c” strategy and is being sourced from existing budgets. I can do this every day if the member likes. I inherited $60 million of unfunded election commitments from the former Minister for Education. The member knows that it is true; he has admitted it before. I inherited a commitment to provide all schoolteachers with laptop computers in this calendar year. Can members imagine truckloads of laptops being delivered all over Western Australia? It was the former Minister for Education’s strategy to dump laptops at the front of the schools and then wish those schools the best of luck. The former minister wanted to allocate $20 million to provide laptops to schools. However, on the best possible economic analysis, it would cost the education system an additional $65 million a year to deal with the technology. That is what the member delivered. The intention was good but the strategy was wrong. When I became minister, I inherited the former Government’s commitment on laptop computers, and I will guarantee that the school tutors will get their laptops at an affordable price. I inherited an unfunded commitment to capital works, and an unfunded commitment to a reduction of class sizes. I am grateful for the challenge the member provided me with to find an extra $60 million for commitments that he made that I was morally bound to implement. On top of that, I was absolutely determined to put into place the agenda on which this Government was elected, and we have implemented that agenda. Our agenda was released before the election and we have funded it under very difficult circumstances for which the Leader of the Opposition gave no assistance. Part of that challenge related to the telecommunications broadbanding - Mr Barnett: You have cut school funding - admit it. You have reduced school funding by increasing the funding below the inflation rate; that is a real decrease. Mr CARPENTER: I invite the Leader of the Opposition to read the budget papers. The Leader of the Opposition and I have a strange relationship. I am the only person who stands up in Parliament and says good things about him, and I do not confine that habit within this Parliament. The member has a lot to offer. Unfortunately, not many people on his side of the House recognise that, but I do. Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I should draw my answer to a close. I look forward to the member’s continuing success as the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr CARPENTER: The announcement to which the Leader of the Opposition refers that was made in June related to a $120 million telecommunications rollout that the department had entered into by an agreement with Telstra and Optus. That $120 million is part of the “e2c” strategy and is being sourced from existing budgets. I can do this every day if the member likes. I inherited $60 million of unfunded election commitments from the former Minister for Education. The member knows that it is true; he has admitted it before. I inherited a commitment to provide all schoolteachers with laptop computers in this calendar year. Can members imagine truckloads of laptops being delivered all over Western Australia? It was the former Minister for Education’s strategy to dump laptops at the front of the schools and then wish those schools the best of luck. The former minister wanted to allocate $20 million to provide laptops to schools. However, on the best possible economic analysis, it would cost the education system an additional $65 million a year to deal with the technology. That is what the member delivered. The intention was good but the strategy was wrong. When I became minister, I inherited the former Government’s commitment on laptop computers, and I will guarantee that the school tutors will get their laptops at an affordable price. I inherited an unfunded commitment to capital works, and an unfunded commitment to a reduction of class sizes. I am grateful for the challenge the member provided me with to find an extra $60 million for commitments that he made that I was morally bound to implement. On top of that, I was absolutely determined to put into place the agenda on which this Government was elected, and we have implemented that agenda. Our agenda was released before the election and we have funded it under very difficult circumstances for which the Leader of the Opposition gave no assistance. Part of that challenge related to the telecommunications broadbanding - Mr Barnett: You have cut school funding - admit it. You have reduced school funding by increasing the funding below the inflation rate; that is a real decrease. Mr CARPENTER: I invite the Leader of the Opposition to read the budget papers. The Leader of the Opposition and I have a strange relationship. I am the only person who stands up in Parliament and says good things about him, and I do not confine that habit within this Parliament. The member has a lot to offer. Unfortunately, not many people on his side of the House recognise that, but I do. Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I should draw my answer to a close. I look forward to the member’s continuing success as the Leader of the Opposition.
I can do this every day if the member likes. I inherited $60 million of unfunded election commitments from the former Minister for Education. The member knows that it is true; he has admitted it before. I inherited a commitment to provide all schoolteachers with laptop computers in this calendar year. Can members imagine truckloads of laptops being delivered all over Western Australia? It was the former Minister for Education’s strategy to dump laptops at the front of the schools and then wish those schools the best of luck. The former minister wanted to allocate $20 million to provide laptops to schools. However, on the best possible economic analysis, it would cost the education system an additional $65 million a year to deal with the technology. That is what the member delivered. The intention was good but the strategy was wrong. When I became minister, I inherited the former Government’s commitment on laptop computers, and I will guarantee that the school tutors will get their laptops at an affordable price. I inherited an unfunded commitment to capital works, and an unfunded commitment to a reduction of class sizes. I am grateful for the challenge the member provided me with to find an extra $60 million for commitments that he made that I was morally bound to implement. On top of that, I was absolutely determined to put into place the agenda on which this Government was elected, and we have implemented that agenda. Our agenda was released before the election and we have funded it under very difficult circumstances for which the Leader of the Opposition gave no assistance. Part of that challenge related to the telecommunications broadbanding - Mr Barnett: You have cut school funding - admit it. You have reduced school funding by increasing the funding below the inflation rate; that is a real decrease. Mr CARPENTER: I invite the Leader of the Opposition to read the budget papers. The Leader of the Opposition and I have a strange relationship. I am the only person who stands up in Parliament and says good things about him, and I do not confine that habit within this Parliament. The member has a lot to offer. Unfortunately, not many people on his side of the House recognise that, but I do. Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I should draw my answer to a close. I look forward to the member’s continuing success as the Leader of the Opposition.
I inherited an unfunded commitment to capital works, and an unfunded commitment to a reduction of class sizes. I am grateful for the challenge the member provided me with to find an extra $60 million for commitments that he made that I was morally bound to implement. On top of that, I was absolutely determined to put into place the agenda on which this Government was elected, and we have implemented that agenda. Our agenda was released before the election and we have funded it under very difficult circumstances for which the Leader of the Opposition gave no assistance. Part of that challenge related to the telecommunications broadbanding - Mr Barnett: You have cut school funding - admit it. You have reduced school funding by increasing the funding below the inflation rate; that is a real decrease. Mr CARPENTER: I invite the Leader of the Opposition to read the budget papers. The Leader of the Opposition and I have a strange relationship. I am the only person who stands up in Parliament and says good things about him, and I do not confine that habit within this Parliament. The member has a lot to offer. Unfortunately, not many people on his side of the House recognise that, but I do. Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I should draw my answer to a close. I look forward to the member’s continuing success as the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr Barnett: You have cut school funding - admit it. You have reduced school funding by increasing the funding below the inflation rate; that is a real decrease. Mr CARPENTER: I invite the Leader of the Opposition to read the budget papers. The Leader of the Opposition and I have a strange relationship. I am the only person who stands up in Parliament and says good things about him, and I do not confine that habit within this Parliament. The member has a lot to offer. Unfortunately, not many people on his side of the House recognise that, but I do. Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I should draw my answer to a close. I look forward to the member’s continuing success as the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr CARPENTER: I invite the Leader of the Opposition to read the budget papers. The Leader of the Opposition and I have a strange relationship. I am the only person who stands up in Parliament and says good things about him, and I do not confine that habit within this Parliament. The member has a lot to offer. Unfortunately, not many people on his side of the House recognise that, but I do. Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I should draw my answer to a close. I look forward to the member’s continuing success as the Leader of the Opposition.
Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I should draw my answer to a close. I look forward to the member’s continuing success as the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr CARPENTER: I should draw my answer to a close. I look forward to the member’s continuing success as the Leader of the Opposition.
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